"He was found with a crack pipe in the back seat of his car which was still warm," police spokesman Larry McKinnon said.
Bell is also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, McKinnon said. Bell later told police the items were his.
He was being held in jail on $2,500 bail. It was unclear if he had an attorney. Bell was first drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1987 and won the World Series with the team in 1992. He last signed as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2000. He also played for the San Diego Padres, New York Mets and Houston Astros.